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According to expenses documents published by the BBC, Smith, who became chief executive of the broadcaster's commercial arm in March 2005, claimed £6,908.40 in expenses during the period.

The figure makes Smith one of the biggest expenses claimants among senior BBC executives. Director general Mark Thompson made the biggest claim, according to the BBC's figures, of £19,067.90 during the 2008/09 financial year.

Smith's figures for the period reveal £271.03 was claimed for external hospitality relating to various meetings between BBC Worldwide and other companies.

Two of these meetings related to discussions over what were dubbed in the expenses report "synergies" between Worldwide and an unnamed third party. The report does not detail the nature of these meetings, although it is known that BBC Worldwide and Channel 4 have been attempting to form a joint venture in recent weeks to comprise their various digital TV, DVD and magazines businesses.

Smith claimed a total of £639.99 for entertaining external contacts. This is far lower than fellow BBC senior executives had claimed in the period. Jana Bennett, director of BBC Vision, the division of the corporation that runs BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three, BBC Four, as well as overseeing content on the UKTV channels and BBC America, claimed £2275.20 on entertaining external contacts.

Smith, meanwhile, claimed a further £1,287 for a dinner with BBC Worldwide colleagues, after a BBC Worldwide company away day. Overall, Smith claimed £2,440.06 on internal hospitality costs - more than most senior BBC managers.

Given the international nature of his role, Smith also clocked up one of the corporation's biggest expense claims for travel. He claimed for £1,159.29 in flights during the period - far more than any other senior BBC executive for whom expenses were published.